


ocean in a bathtub

by blueconsequences



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bathtubs, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, nico raids a lush store at 3am, this is the kind of shit i come up with when i'm bored
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 05:03:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5277719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueconsequences/pseuds/blueconsequences
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Nico decides that bath time is ten times better when it involves sixteen bath bombs and the son of the sea god.</p>
            </blockquote>





	ocean in a bathtub

It’s almost three in the morning when Nico finally stumbles in through the door.

  “Nico di _Angelo,_ ” Percy hisses, springing off the sofa, all traces of drowsiness vanishing from his being. “Do you know what _time_ it is? What have you been –”

  He shuts up as Nico hauls in two huge black paper bags in through the door with him. With much effort and a muffled ‘oof’, Nico drags them over the threshold and proceeds to collapse to the ground, chest heaving, not even bothering to close the door.

  “Nico? What –”

  “I,” Nico replies, in between breaths, “have found you your Christmas present.”

  Percy’s eyebrows furrow as he launches himself forward to shut the door before Mrs. Grubb, the bitchy old landlady, storms up the stairs to their apartment to berate them. Percy was cheerfully informed by their upstairs neighbor, Cassie, the first day he and Nico moved in that the seventy-four-year-old, apart from having extremely sensitive hearing, is also an insomniac, and he doesn't want to risk a scolding at three in the morning.

  “Gods, Nico,” Percy almost groans, as he slides down onto the floor beside his boyfriend. “Do you know what _time_ it is? Where were you? I was so _worried_ –”

  Nico waves a hand carelessly. “Look, okay, I said I’d be back late –”

  “I don’t know what your definition of ‘late’ is, Nico, but to _me_ late means _before midnight,_  and it doesn't help that neither of us have phones –”

  He is silenced by Nico’s lips on his, warm and soft, and he makes a small indignant noise at the back of his throat as his body slumps forward into Nico’s.

  Nico pulls away almost immediately after Percy is effectively shut up. “Now,” he says, all business, as Percy blinks at him, slightly affronted, “Let’s take a look at your super cool Christmas presents.” He hoists himself up and begins dragging the bulky paper bags in the direction of the bathroom.

  Percy follows, frowning, as Nico parks the two huge bags next to the bathtub. The bathtub that was the reason why Percy had been so insistent on renting this particular apartment – it's massive. Four grown people could fit in it, easily.

  Nico grins proudly as Percy surveys the contents of the bags.

  “Bath bombs?” Percy asks, incredulous. Both bags are filled to the brim with floral and fruity-scented orbs, all of various pastel colours. The scent is much stronger now that they’re in an enclosed space, and it’s exactly what he imagines a fairy castle would smell like. “Nico, you raided a Lush store at three a.m.?”

  “Oh, yes,” Nico responds with barely concealed excitement. “The wonders of shadow travel, right?”

  Without preamble, he turns on the jets at full blast, and as the tub slowly fills, he scoops up an armful of bath bombs from one bag and tips it into the bathtub. The moment the first one splashes into the tub, an underwater fireworks display begins. Swirls and explosions of colour rush towards every corner of the tub, filling the air with the scent of roses and vanilla and lemons and whatever else the bath bombs are packed with.

  “This is actually pretty cool,” Percy says as he leans over the tub, watching the reds, pinks, blues, yellows and greens dance through the water as the bath bombs fizz and bob on the surface.

  “Yeah, and I can’t believe you’ve never used a bath bomb before,” Nico replies, as he quickly undresses and all but dives into the bathtub, causing a splash that would have drenched half the bathroom if Percy hadn’t deflected the water back into the tub, all over a now-wet, laughing Nico.

  “Come on,” Nico grins, dark eyes alight, as he swishes his hands around in the water in welcome.

  Percy watches helplessly as Nico slides beneath the water till it’s up to his chin. He wiggles his eyebrows at Percy in anticipation.

  Percy sighs, not even bothering to fight the smile breaking out on his face as he undresses and eases himself into the warm water. Nico immediately scoots up to him so they’re side by side.

  “How many did you steal, exactly?” Percy asks, as he flicks his wrist and the water begins to swirl into a gentle whirlpool of a hundred pretty colours. Arcs of pink water shoot up and do elaborate pirouettes before splashing back into the tub.

  “I didn’t _steal_ them,” Nico says, offended. “I left money in the cash register. I _bought_ sixteen. Grossly overpriced, too. Now if you’ll just shut up and enjoy the bath.”

  They spend the next half hour – or maybe the next three hours, it’s hard to tell – splashing around in the tub, among other things – acting out an entire scene of Romeo and Juliet (“Why not Romeo and _Julian_?” suggests Nico), periodic making out, holding tightly onto newly-added bath bombs as they fizz and pop just for the heck of it, dunking each other into the water (not that it had much effect on Percy, what with his annoying underwater-breathing crap), and Percy making full use of his fancy water-control powers. To, namely, 1. Make their own colourful water fountain, 2. Use every last drop of water in the tub to create a wall between them, through which Percy would stick his head through, making dorky faces till Nico almost split his sides laughing, 3. Freez the very top layer of the water to form mini icebergs for a highly inaccurate reenactment of the Titanic. Et cetera.

  Anyhow, they’re there till the first light of dawn peeks in through the tiny window. Neither of them are tired.

  “Merry Christmas, Seaweed Brain,” Nico whispers, smiling, as he kisses Percy’s bare shoulder.


End file.
